Tesla Recalls Electric Vehicles For Faulty Power Cables

Tesla Motors, makers of the all-electric Tesla Roadster, has announced that it plans to recall over 400 of its battery-powered vehicles; there may be a high risk of the power cable shorting out, which could potentially lead to a fire. The vehicles involved in the recall are the 439 Roadsters sold under the 2.0 and 2.5 model names.

The motivation for the company initiating the recall was a single report of an incident in a Tesla vehicle that experienced a problem with a 12-volt cable which rubbed against a panel, creating a short in the wire, which began smoking, eventually caught fire behind the front headlamp.

Tesla has begun the process of informing owners of the potential fire hazard in a 12-volt cable that powers auxiliary systems such as lights and turn signals. The company stated that it will send a team of service mechanics to owners’ homes and offices to check for the faulty wiring and make repairs when necessary. The repairs will involve checking the cable placement and installing a protective sleeve over the cable to prevent it from shorting out in the future, according to Tesla.

The recall is the second for Tesla on its Roadster, a $109,000 luxury car built on a Lotus platform that is powered by a battery pack composed of more than 6,800 laptop batteries. Federal safety regulators have been notified of the recall. Tesla made it clear that the defective parts do NOT involve the main battery pack or power system that propels the Roadster; Tesla will be providing battery packs for the upcoming all-electric Toyota RAV 4 that will hit the market in 2012. These safety issues are very high priority for automakers involved in the design and development of new electric power systems, companies such as Tesla, Nissan, and General Motors.